How President Cory’s son was catapulted to the presidential race

By Raïssa Robles

Today, on the sixth death anniversary of Corazon Aquino, I am reposting two pieces I had written for my first blog shortly before and after her death in 2009.

The first piece written after her burial is entitled “Noynoy, do the President’s shoes fit or are they too big?” At the end of the piece I described the kind of President the nation needs, even today.

The second piece, written after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had pulled out Cory Aquino’s personal security team even as she lay dying, is entitled – “The real security threat to President Arroyo is a grandma.” In it I point out the late president’s lasting legacy to the nation despite all the brickbats thrown at her.

Here they are.

Noynoy, do the President’s shoes fit or are they too big?

By Raïssa Robles

Yesterday as soon as I got up I flicked on the radio to find out whether, as Philippine Star columnist Wilson Lee Flores had predicted to me, his former macroeconomics teacher Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would drop by Cory Aquino’s wake.

She did and as I listened to the radio commentator describe the awkward event as “civil” with Cory Aquino’s son even shaking the President’s hand, something clicked in my mind.

I can’t describe it, but while I don’t have an internal compass for street directions I seem to have one for political news. When I heard that, I felt some kind of invisible power had passed from Mrs Arroyo to Senator Aquino in that brief handshake – like magic.

Mr Aquino had risen beyond his bitter feelings and made a statesman-like gesture, and had become bigger because of it.

I must confess it was the first time I seriously considered him as a possible contender for the 2010 presidency. Before, when I met him during a Liberal Party convention he seemed to melt into the hotel furniture. From what other reporters told me, he was a laid-back sort of fellow and was not at all hungry for political power, like his departed mother.

Considering the senator for the highest post seems to be a natural reaction after such a political death. Soon after his father Senator Benigno Aquino Junior was assassinated in 1983, people had flocked to the slain senator’s younger brother, Agapito “Butz” Aquino. But Butz quickly begged off saying, “his shoes are too big to fill,” little realizing they would be remoulded two years later to fit his sister-in-law.

If I were a newbie reporter and Edsa People Power never happened I might even join the Noynoy bandwagon. What a romantic notion.

But I am no longer one. Whereas I used to go all goo-goo and gaga-eyed whenever I met someone who declared he or she would like to become President of the Philippines, not anymore.

Through it all I’ve come to realize we Filipinos tend to regard elections like a race where the candidates are like the horses to bet on.

Perhaps our elections can be viewed another way – like a long and exhausting job interview with we, the people, as the employer, the decider.

When I first got my baby a yaya (caregiver), I drew up a list of qualities I wanted and weighed the applicants against this list. A president of a nation is equally important to me and so, permit me to share with you the qualities I’m looking for in the next president.

1. He/she must be a basically decent person, not necessarily always praying but not amoral.

2. He/She doesn’t have to be a Harvard University graduate or very young or from a political clan.

3. He/She must be a reformist president with a decided bias for uplifting the plight of the majority of the people who are poor, but with the ability to convince the wealthy that this will widen the consumer base for their products. It cannot be business as usual. It cannot be trickle down.

4. He/She must have a profound ingratitude to his powerful and wealthy donors and his own class.

5. He/She must have a definite plan of concrete action from day one on the following – poverty, corruption, insurgency and Muslim unrest. When a candidate is asked for his to-do list and he answers, “Watch me” or “Trust me,” that’s crap. Scratch him out.

6. At the same time, he/she must have the cunning of a dove, able to navigate his way through the political snake pit.

7. He/She must be skilled in conflict resolution.

8. He/she must be a leader, not just a manager. And must inspire the citizenry to initiate action on their own.

So far, I haven’t seen a candidate who has these qualities. Do you, Noynoy?

The real security threat to President Arroyo is a grandma

By Raïssa Robles

I smile whenever I hear that over 12,000 policemen and soldiers will physically secure President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and legislators this Monday when she delivers her State of the Nation address.

Because the real threat to their security in office is a grandmother lying on her sick bed, agonizing in pain from colon cancer.

Now some of you might be angry at me for bringing this up at such a delicate time. I believe Mrs Aquino would have it no other way. She herself has actually linked her personal pain with the country’s current suffering.

On her sickbed, a month after surgery, she sent over a message during the June 10, 2009 rally to mark Independence Day. She could have just stayed silent and everyone would have understood.

But no, her grandson Kiko – symbolically representing the next generation – read out his lola’s (grandma’s) brief message saying: “Over the years, I have learned to endure pain and sadness.”

“But perhaps, there is nothing that causes me greater pain than to see our people betrayed again and again by those they have elected to lead and serve them. To those of us who fought long and hard to restore our democracy, the pain deepens at the thought that all our gains have so quickly been eroded.”

She lashed out at “the shameful abuses of the powerful that seek to destroy our sacred laws.”

Perhaps Mrs Arroyo’s spin doctors might sniff that between housewife Aquino and the economist Arroyo, the latter has more accomplishments as president such as the highest GDP growth in decades.

Mrs Aquino did have her failings as president, such as a watered down agrarian reform law that benefited her family and her inability to wield the vast powers of a revolutionary government to reform democracy.

But one thing Mrs Aquino has done is to set a gold standard of behavior for the presidency. She has given the average Filipino the highly subversive notion that all Philippine presidents and politicians must be accountable to the people for their actions.

That idea, I believe, is the biggest security threat to the Arroyo administration.

With ten moths left until the Presidential elections COMELEC appear to be sailing pretty close th the wind.
They appear to currently have no serviceable equipment with which to conduct the elections. The situation is this:-
OMR machines. Order placed for lease of 23,000 machines.
PCOS machines. 82,000 awaiting refurbishment.
Optional lease 70,000 additional OMR machines to replace PCOS Machines.
Question, with 295 calendar days left until the election and no contract yet let for PCOS machine refurbishment is it tecnically/physically possible to refurbish 82,000 machines in that time period?
Question, can the bidding, leasing, delivery, installation processes for 70,000 OMR machines be completed in much less than 295 days should the need arise? Are there really 70,000 OMR machines sitting in a warehouse somewhere?
COMELEC some transparency please.

Poe claims that it is not necessary to be a dual or Philippine citizen for the whole ten (10) years for her to accumulate ten years of residency in the country and qualify as president or VP. Meaning that she merely needs to reside in the Philippines for ten years including when she was an alien or not yet a Philippine citizen. Poe declared:

“As for the residency question, Poe said: “You don’t have to be a dual citizen for 10 years, you just have to be natural born and a resident for 10 years and so even if I were a dual citizen in 2006, and let us say that this lacked some years, I still do not believe in that qualification because natural born, dual citizen and the 10-year residency are all separate. It’s taken separately,” she said.”

Poe rationalized that she has been living in the country since 2005 and such period must be included in the 10-year residence requirement for president or VP although she was not yet a dual citizen. She even cited that she gave birth in the Philippines in 2004.

Lito David confirmed in his pleading before the Senate Electoral Tribunal that Poe petitioned for reacquisition of her Philippine citizenship only in 2006.

At least, now the issues have been joined.

FACTS

Poe was naturalized as US citizen in 2001

Poe admitted that she became a dual citizen in 2006.

Poe declared under oath that she had been a resident of the Philippines for six (6) years and six (6) months before the elections on May 13, 2013.

The constitution mandates that the president and VP must be “a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election.”

THE MAIN ISSUE

Whether or not the period when Poe resided or stayed in the Philippines, while she was a US citizen ALONE or not yet a dual citizen, could be included in the ten (10) year residence requirement for president or VP.

MY ARGUMENT AND CITATION OF AUTHORITIES

When Poe was naturalized abroad, she lost her Philippine citizenship and with it her LEGAL residence in the Philippines.

Poe became a legal resident of the Philippines ONLY in November 2006 or 6 years and 6 months immediately preceding the senatorial elections of May 2013. Before November 2006 Poe was an ALIEN and had NO right to reside in the Philippines except as a visitor or a resident alien under our immigration laws.

Poe could NOT acquire legal residence in the Philippines until her reacquisition of Philippine citizenship in November 2006. The Supreme Court en banc ruled in Coquilla case, G.R. No. 151914, July 31, 2002.

“In any event, the fact is that, by having been naturalized abroad, he lost his Philippine citizenship and with it his residence in the Philippines. Until his reacquisition of Philippine citizenship on November 10, 2000, petitioner did not reacquire his legal residence in this country.”

In the same case the SC explained that “residence” means “domicile” or LEGAL RESIDENCE.

“The term “residence” is to be understood not in its common acceptation as referring to “dwelling” or “habitation,” but rather to “domicile” or legal residence, that is, “the place where a party actually or constructively has his permanent home, where he, no matter where he may be found at any given time, eventually intends to return and remain (animus manendi).” A domicile of origin is acquired by every person at birth. It is usually the place where the child’s parents reside and continues until the same is abandoned by acquisition of new domicile (domicile of choice).

“In the case at bar, petitioner lost his domicile of origin in Oras by becoming a U.S. citizen after enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1965. From then on and until November 10, 2000, when he reacquired Philippine citizenship, petitioner was an alien without any right to reside in the Philippines save as our immigration laws may have allowed him to stay as a visitor or as a resident alien.”

The period Poe claimed to have resided in the Philippines while a US citizen before November 2006, when she reacquired Philippine citizenship, cannot be added to her actual residence after November 2006 to May 2016. It cannot cure her deficiency in days, months, and year to allow or render her eligible to run for President or VP of the Philippines.

Indeed, the ruling of the SC affirmed the decision of the COMELEC stating that the candidate must have ACTUAL RESIDENCE AS FILIPINO CITIZEN for the period required in the place where he or she seeks election.

“The one (1) year residency requirement contemplates of the actual residence of a Filipino citizen in the constituency where he seeks to be elected.

“All things considered, the number of years he claimed to have resided or stayed in Oras, Eastern Samar since 1985 as an American citizen and permanent resident of the U.S.A. before November 10, 2000 when he reacquired his Philippine citizenship by [repatriation] cannot be added to his actual residence thereat after November 10, 2000 until May 14, 2001 to cure his deficiency in days, months, and year to allow or render him eligible to run for an elective office in the Philippines.”

CONCLUSION

On May 9, 2016 Poe would have LEGAL RESIDENCE in the Philippines of ONLY about nine (9) years and six (6) months and would NOT qualify as candidate for P or VP.

What if COMMELEC don’t manage to let the maintenance contract for the PCOS machines or obtain through purchase/rental alternative equipment in time for the Presidential elections?
What if, as a result, the Presidential elections are postponed for 6 months or more?
Grace’s saving grace?
In my opinion the time is long overdue for COMMELEC to operate with much more transparency, no more woffling on the media. Please give us some facts.

If the presidential election is postponed for six months by law, Poe might have the chance to run for president or VP. But I don’t think congress would pass that law and approved by Pnoy because there would be a problem on who would act as president after June 30, 2016.

Six years of good governance is too hort but very long for a bad president. FVR and GMA attrmpted to stay in power beyond the limits set by our Constitution because ‘nasasarapan at nasisiyahan’ with the perks that come with being president. May tagabukas ng pinto at taga-payong nga naman.

Six years is enough. PNoy showed na pwedeng hindi malasing sa kapangyarihan. That there are people who know the word ‘contentment’ and will others with good intention to serve the country. Let’s put a leader who we know is willing to step down after 6 years.

thank you din sa akin, rene-ipil. very good work. only choice for grace now is to step back, watch and enjoy the coming election in 2016 without her name on the ballot paper. hilaw pa kasi siya. hindi pa luto ang citizenship niya.

by 2022, she will still be the same grace poe, the adopted daughter of the king, bit older though, and hopefully much wiser, prettier and not under escudero’s thumb. and certainly qualified to run for president, this time, with no citizenship impediment.

. . . ‘lawmakers warned the political opponents of Sen. Grace Poe to go easy on the citizenship issue because it may backfire.’ Why are these lawmakers afraid of a backfire? They’re the ones fun of filing cases against their opponents for all reasons they can find!

. . . ‘the more the senator could gain public sympathy.’ So what? That’s good for her. Are they sure of that? They elections cases with fun to gain sympathy also!

. . .” ‘How can we accuse a foundling, an abandoned baby in Iloilo, to be an American citizen? The more they file cases regarding the citizenship of Grace Poe, the more we will emphasize the humble beginnings of Grace in the Philippines,” Batocabe said.” It is to resolve and clear things about the issue(s) rather than let it keep on hanging with a continuing legal doubt. They also want it this way when they file election cases!

. . . ” ‘And the more you strike this personal chord on the very existence of Grace Poe, the more personal the pain inflicted on her, the more will her political stock grow. So keep these cases going if you want Grace to win,” he added.” What pain? Sen. Poe even loves and want it to happen so as to resolve it once and for all. These politicians file cases to strike their cords and inflict pain on their opponents also!

. . . ” an activist Supreme Court will listen to the people. At the end of the day, issues pertaining to her citizenship are not very difficult hurdles,” he said.” Yun pala! But that is insulting the magistrates! The rule of law is first, among all other things in such Court.

Let the people hurdle this issue in the courts, etc. And not in the lips of politicians. An important issue. A constitutional issue at that. The people are concerned. Very concerned. It is an issue.

In the Coquilla case, the SC answered cited As held in Aquino v. Commission [ 248 SCRA 400, 429 (1995) ] on Elections to reject the idea that a candidate being elected despite some infirmity of qualifications, said it this wise:

“A democratic government is necessarily a government of laws. In a republican government those laws are themselves ordained by the people. Through their representatives, they dictate the qualifications necessary for service in government positions. And as petitioner clearly lacks one of the essential qualifications for running for membership in the House of Representatives, not even the will of a majority or plurality of the voters of the Second District of Makati City would substitute for a requirement mandated by the fundamental law itself.”

So, in short, on Sen. Poe’s case, even if she was elected as Senator, any proven infirmity on her citizenship or residency requirement, such ‘election’ of Poe must be subordinated to the above SC case of Aquino case above quoted.

In the same case of Coquilla the matter of ‘citizenship’ issue was brought up and the SC said, citing Frivaldo case –

“The question in Frivaldo [ 257 SCRA 727 (1996) ] was whether petitioner, who took his oath of repatriation on the same day that his term as governor of Sorsogon began on June 30, 1995, complied with the citizenship requirement under 39(a). It was held that he had, because citizenship may be possessed even on the day the candidate assumes office.”

‘Citizenship’ maybe possessed ‘even on the day the candidate assumes office.’ Question: Can Sen. Poe, if running for P or VP, gets elected, despite 6 months short on ‘citizenship,’ cure this by taking oath 6 months later having been elected either as P or as VP, per SC ruling in the Frivaldo case on ‘citizenship’ issue?

. .. assuming Sen. Poe’s contention that ‘she is a natural-born citizen’ which is proven or accepted by the court etc., but lacks the remaining ‘6 months’ residency’ for the 10 residence requirement . . .

true, not all from makati are diehard pro-binay. binay has to hakot students from cavite university as audience to his badly prepared and badly executed tsona. those from makati are not so keen anymore. those na kumakain sa boodle ni binay were mostly absent as well.

I’m glad lito david is brave enough to step up to clarify once and for all the citizenship of the presidentiable grace poe. I will abide by the decision of the court whether favorable or not. had grace been forthcoming early on, there would not have been a lito david nipping at her heels.

And by the way, what Lito is questioning is Grace eligibility as a Senator, which she won, not her eligibility to run as VP or P since this is a quo warranto proceeding filed with SET (Senate Electoral Tribunal). Separate matter is her eligibility to run in the presidential race.

Kaya ibig sabihin, Grace will eventually face two sets of cases, one with the SET on a question against her eligibility as a Senator, and one with the Comelec and later to the SC for her eligibility to run as a VP or P.

Hmm, better stock up on cashew nuts, this is going to be a very entertaining 2016.

CPMERs na maka ROXAS …please site on this BLOG any incidents or particular time when your MAR ROXAS attack the MARCOSES when he was a senator of the Republic , baka you can convince us here in our small barrio to go or vote for Roxas next 2016….

The country badly needs Rudy Duterte to get rid of drug problems, criminal elements and instill discipline among the police agency & govt personnel on the frontline of dealing with smugglers, drug traffickers, etc.

The Philippines is now the transshipment drug capital of the world due to the shameful fact that bribe money is hard to resist. In due time, El Chapo may soon leave Mexico and do business in Forbes Park or other high-end gated communities.

Unlike vp Binay who bragged that he made Makati rich, including his family, Duterte can cleanse society of its numerous ills and make the country a safe place to live in, invest and do business with.

one of the ampatuans na nakulong is dead, meron yatang liver failure, heard that along the grapevine. one down, many to go.

few days ago, jinggoy made some noise saying mar roxas is qualified to run for president. enrile in the meantime, said he has not seen t.v. and does not know what is going on kuno kaya nagbabasa na lang daw siya ng books on political matters. cpmers might be able to supply more info about the rest.

ang alam ko dyan, personal na kinausap ni mar si grace long before the president appointed mar to be flag bearer. after he was appointed flag bearer and when ask by the media, mar stood by his offer and made it known to all. kaso, grace is waiting for official offer, maybe with all the fanfare. wala yatang tiwala sa word na binitawan ni mar, ayaw ng before, gusto after.

If I could ask all you CPMers out there, including Alan and Raissa,
“What attributes, abilities, skills and reputation do you think Grace Poe would bring to the Presidency or Vice Presidency of the Philippines?”
“How do you think the Philippines would benefit from a Poe Presidency or Vice Presidency?”

Thought you would never ask . . . She would bring fresh insights to old problems (ignorance is in some respects a strength), the strength of a bully pulpit powered by her popular support, a sharp mind and a good voice when she knows what she is talking about, the intensity of outrage if it gets directed at the right subjects (like the really, really corrupt rather than cops who got a loan for a car because their rotten salary is less than that of my daughter who clerks at Barnes & Noble), an interest in children’s welfare, and the power of ambition.

Appears weak and decisive under pressure, has no crisis experience, has little knowledge of cabinet agency work or people, has no major executive experience (managing people much more senior than her, demonstrates a priority on friends rather than nation (trapo), appears to have counter straight path policies on BBL and China, appears to have no economics or financial background (would growth stall). Maybe others if I thought about it, but that’s a start.

so, poe will send you a thank you reply for giving her a constructive criticism. by the way she is now busy crafting on her plataporma. it was written on the daily papers that she/her teams are even asking/ conducting interviews to some groups of academicians, among others to strengthen her plataforma

ancient, know thyself, sabi ng pythia, the oracle of dephi. does grace knows herself? do I have to point it out to her who she is? please dont temp me, I’m already thinking of that dead duck in a glass case in ilocos.

I cannot buy a pig in the sack, I’ve got to inspect, see if pig is not sigbin. I dont want unripe fruit. I want fruit ripe and ready to eat.

anyhow, grace is like binay’s minime, have the same stand as regards china. favor din ang bilateral talks. kaso lang, we already have a case being heard in the united nations. so, if grace becomes president, she’ll cancel the case, pull the plug and abort the case, tell our delegates to come home and prepare to crawl on bended knees at magmakaawa sa china, please chinese masters, hear our plea.

at 76.1.1.1. you talked of bed of roses, ancient. we have to be careful of bed of roses, roses have inch long thorns and can draw blood easily. blood red roses.

what I know about grace? got most of it from observing her interviews in the media. she can so callous and cold at times. her son ditched myrtle 4 days before son’s birthday. the girl was crying on t.v. jilted and probly broken hearted too. grace’s son did the dirty on myrtle encouraging her to pose in men’s magazine before jilting her.

when asked for comment, grace was smiling, hindi raw siya makikialam sa away ng magkasintahan. what a mother! psychologists watching grace would have been shaking their heads, uh, uh, madam, not good move you’ve made. kababaeng tao, grace ought to be sympathetic to another woman, young myrtle, offer a shoulder for myrtle to cry on, maybe give myrtle flowers and invite her for coffee, say, sorry for the death of your young love. I hope you recover soon and find another love. make the end of young love official, the way grace wanted mar’s offer to her made official. grace is big on official, and ought to show how it is done.

I hope myrtle is not going to be like andie eigemann, left with a bun in the oven. a baby on the way.

if I were myrtle, I will not vote for grace. but if grace backtracked and see myrtle, invite her for coffee, give her flowers and say kind words, then, maybe, grace is worthy of myrtle’s vote. and maybe, those tagahanga ni myrtle will vote for grace too.

This is clearly seen in the facial expression, body language, and what we may gather from the few non-mumbling words of Binay. But I will leave it at that for the moment. And go to another one who is fast displaying the symptom.

Unlike the apparent glow that I notice on the rejuvenated Roxas, post SONA and Pnoy’s endorsement of him, the earlier freshness, glow, and the zestful but unhurried articulation of Grace Poe’s intelligent thoughts seem to have dimmed markedly. I believe this is due to serious anxiety. I will borrow from my earlier Post 59 in Raissa’s Joe Maria Sison blog and add some more. This anxiety, I believe, comes from:

– the gathering momentum on qualification issues for a higher office, even at her present Senatorial office, lately given another quantum step by the failed (for lack of payment of filing fee) petition by Rizalito David and picked up by media;

– her realization of not being true to her earlier pronouncements of needing more time and discernment to seek a higher office — that is at a time when her ratings numbers were still low;

– her rather abrupt changed views after her rating numbers have surpassed all Presidentiables; and consequently, although unconsciously,

– the thought that although giving time for her full ripening is sensible, (but probably on advice which she seized), six years is a very long political time; a better ripened rival may come and so good bye the Presidency after six years of ripening; so better to seize the moment NOW;

– The probable unconscious (in charity) “lust” for the Presidency — under the oft-repeated guise of serving the mamamayan — is reinforced by her COMFORT BUDDY, Escudero who is equally “lustful” of a higher office, which he cannot get otherwise, considering his history of betrayal (shades of his former BFF, Binay, in that respect);

– the lack of political experience, and so easily buffeted by the sweet words of advisers, not only from her COMFORT BUDDY.

I believe, most sincerely, that Grace needs to take a retreat and seek the wisdom of those whose advice is not tainted by political consideration. In saying this, I am not advocating at all that she runs as VP under Roxas. I have gone past that thought.

The citizenship/ residency issues with Grace Poe cannot go away.
Either she qualifies or she does not.
If she qualifies fine. If she does not then all those who are touting for her now have means to find out and surely know it. What does this mean? It means she is most likely okay to run but it could also mean that all of them including Roxas are willing to bend the law to have her on board. Not an auspicious start.

As i mentioned in an earlier comment, i strongly believe the LP is past the point of picking her as the VP of Mar. Otherwise, Mar would nit have replied to her earlier pronouncements that here was no invitation from the party.

Please note the interview on Sec Mar was after GP’s statement on the lack of invitation.

She said Aquino had been helping her understand the problems of the presidency. She said that whenever they had a chance to talk, the President would give her “background” and “case studies.”

Poe said this when asked about news reports that the President had shown her a document during his last State of the Nation Address last week purportedly threatening her citizenship.

Top secret document

“The President is not that kind of person,” she said, adding that Aquino had actually shown her a “Top Secret” document that had nothing to do with her possible run for the presidency or background but on “national issues.”

She said she did not know why the President showed her the document, but added that he did tell her earlier on he would help her understand the problems that he had to deal with.

si grace ay parang may degree of learning disability. sabi, she did not know why the president showed her the document, if that’s the case, what stops her from asking? like, why show it to me, mr president? what’s your motive, mr president? why me and not escudero, mr president?

Sa “Glimpse of Grace Poe’s political star no Randy David (inquirerdotnet August 6) his concluding statement says, “One can rise in politics of influence as an independent, but one cannot hope to shape politics in any significant way without a party.”

Poe would be a lameduck president from the very first year of her term if she runs and wins as an independent. Lameduck does not only refer to an elected official continuing to hold office during the period between the election and the inauguration of a successor. Lameduck also refers to one that is weak or that falls behind in ability or achievement (merriam-webster).

if she wins as independent, she’ll set her own rules and answers to no one, but will probably, firstly, get herself a long and much awaited vacation in her much loved 2nd home in USA, at magpahinga duon for months and months. blissfully away from the hustle and bustle of homegrown pinoys always asking questions, needy pinoys always looking at her and wanting to hear her voice, her guidance.

she’ll be mostly available to us by skype, and with her husband who is IT specialist, she might be the 1st telecommuting president in the world, living in USA and cyber presidenting the philippines at the same time. until our country cut off her link. that’s what I think.

@ moonie eh di wow na wow. talagang world class. running the phil. government through teleconference/skype or may be the husband will develop something more advance than skype exclusive for phil./poe in USA use only. what’s the use of her broadcaster son if and only if hindi nila ma i apply sa for “family use only” scheme?. malapit sa possibly mangyayari ang pinost nyo (crossing my fingers HUWAG sana mangyari) dahil ang kanilang rason ay politically motivated lang yan. my life as well as my whole family are in danger. the political situation in the phil. is too hot, etc so dito muna ako sa sa malamig na atmosphere ng USA.

her husband being an IT expert ay may malaking possibilidad na just a fine tuning on BPO , the brain child of mar, will turn out to be their legacy.

if going bilateral, bobby ongpin will probly be grace’s bilateral talker, china most likely insisting on mandarin as language to use just to give us hard time. chinese rep and pinoy rep both getting bilateral in mandarin speak, one tinged with pinoy accent, the other beijing accent. if we’re lucky.

if not, china will put bilateral talks on hold until chinese contingent complete with military tanks and artillery are on the streets of manila, demanding the key to the city. and grace will be there, welcoming them, still hoping for non-existent bilateral talks.

you just explained it well @mary,…..pinulitika ang storm surge with the cry cry and the sisi and splicing of the tape, in the end buko rin.aah the romualdez and the marcoses hanggang ngayon walang remorse at delikadeza sa ginawa nila at ginagawa pa rin sa bayan…

Sabi nila walang impact yung endorsement ni Pnoy, recent news local or international in just a week showed an unbelievable upsurge of Roxas interest . Hate Roxas or love him, it cannot be ignored, he is going to win. Good job and keep on working. Walang pipikit, walang pahinga, kaya natin to, for a better Philippines. The “work within your circle of influence” is working. Do not convince those who hate, let them wallow in their own miseries.

A buddy from MIT sent me this video, sabi nya sent by his Wharton grad boss, nag tetrending. Yah, a humble honest Wharton grad needs to win in the next election, for the daang matuwid, keep on rocking Mar! Go go Philippines!

“All Oxford students awarded their degrees and qualified for honors at the end of an academic year are included in the class lists of the university calendar. Marcos Jr’s name does not appear in the class lists or rolls of students who successfully completed their degrees.

His resumé posted on the Senate website indicates he got a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oxford and a Masters in Business from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania which he attended from 1979-1981. As it turns out, he did not complete the course at Wharton and failed to get his MBA degree.”

You may interpret this anyway you like, but my interpretation — using as basis the low percentage for the item, Yes, with Grace as presidential candidate. 5.03% (361 votes) — is that Escudero (as VP to Poe) is turn off for the respondents, among others.

@Vhin AB
You are right on this, A,B &C and perhaps a few D could have been the respondents to the Inquirer online survey. Perhaps, if the broadcast media picks this up (TV and radio where a high percentage of D&E are listeners) then result of this online survey would be widely disseminated.

Sa Roxas-Poe tandem, which IMO is more likely to happen, caution lang. Baka maulit yung ginawa ng cheesedog nuong 2010 na Noy-Bi. With cheesedog declaring his unwavering support to Poe but not necessarily for Roxas, the result could be Bin-Po in 2016. Nagawa na ni cheesedog nuon, gagawin din nya ulit yan ngayon. Let’s read between the lines of what cheesedog is saying.

music to my ears. voices from different corners suggesting the trickling down of facts about binay. am always aware that the important conversations have to take place with people who are not reading newspapers or online news. binay has mastered the art of appearing supportive and empathetic to people he actually thinks of as “salaula”. he knows they are hungry and will go for the free lunches, have no money for clothes hence the free shirts etc. i join the appeal to kababayan ofws especially from areas outside manila and other urban centers to continue conversation with their family and friends about what is good for the country.

good news naman tayo!
“http://www.huffingtonpost.com/edsel-tupaz/aquinos-legacy-in-the-phi_b_7922082.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592”
we all have big stake in this one. this trend shall be a big challenge for all of us pinoys come the may 2016 polls.

takot sa tampering, matakutin pala si grace. who will tamper and how could her documents be tampered? does she fear being drugged? someone breaking in her house? not possible. her husband is IT specialist and knows all kind of electronic surveillance and gizmos, their house is probably wired like fort knox! god have mercy on anyone attempting to break into their house let alone tamper documents. they’d be zapped! cooked medium rare.

grace is full of excuses. if her dead father’s documents were indeed tampered, show us where it was tampered, grace, please, kindly. show us evidence, convince us.

#66 Kalakala – ‘. . . is showing her official documents’ – is GP somewhat following the ‘excuse’ used by Jejo Binay – “I have not been convicted by the court” for ‘corruption’ . . . like saying “I will await the decision of the court” on my ‘citizenship and residency qualifications’?

GP per news report today is quoted to have said – ” Poe explained that despite being a foundling, she is not stateless and is a natural-born Filipino, citing international principles such as UN conventions. In a statement, her camp argued that the parents of a “foundling found in the Philippines are presumed Filipino.” abs-cbn news

‘presumed Filipino’ – is there such a ‘presumption’ in her as a favor as a ‘foundling’? Under a Constitutional provision? Under the Revised Election [Omnibus] Election Code? Under the Rule on Evidence?

So far, there is no case I have encountered of a ‘foundling’ found in the Philippines who has been granted a presumption of being a Filipino, natural-born or just Filipino.

In one good case on election law ‘on voters’ – U.S. vs Tria 17 Phil. 303 (1910), it was held by the SC –

“Under the Election Law of these Islands, there is no presumption that anybody is entitled to vote. In fact, the contrary presumption prevails. Will this presumption also apply to candidates for President?

If GP has the ‘same proof or proofs’ of documents or allegations to prove her qualification as a candidate for President (in fact she has been elected as Senator already in 2010), such proof or proofs or allegations will most probably be the ‘same’ in a court of law (SC -Electoral Tribunal) or before a quasi-judicial body like the Comelec, why wait for such issue/issues and not reveal substantially her proof/proofs before the public now and not belatedly or delay it later?

Is her motive of delay due to reason that her election even as Senator maybe jeopardized or in peril?More so to her plan to run for President or Vice President with Mar Roxas?

Is GP correct as far as the public is concerned, on this motive as her reason?

I for one, do not know the answer. But if I am in her shoes, I rather do it now to be truthful about myself to the people rather than keep it in delay if such is in her mind to not yet divulge it.

A ‘foundling’ to be presumed a natural-born Filipino citizen is a very serious issue for anyone found in this country. Another issue is – is there also such a presumption of her compliance of the ‘residency’ requirement.

No question GP has every right what and when to make her decision based on her beliefs for her good interests, etc. on this matter. Whether no mistake or a mistake can happen later on divulging it in due time or not, it is her look out.

it doesn’t make sense at all for poe to be vp for roxas because the search is for the best president for the country. pnoy and the lp trying to make poe the vp candidate to get her out of the way to avoid contest against poe as president tell us that they are not confident that roxas is the best possible president, that roxas is weak.

I beg to disagree, I think the only reason why LP is trying to get POE as vice president is because Grace Poe can connect better with the masses. But as to who is the best possible candidate I’m pretty sure that is Mar. Besides, surveys can change overnight. After Pnoy’s endorsement MAR’s ratings will go up and maybe even surpass that of POE’s.

baka burol siya, drill down needs sharpening, pronto.mar is weak because he did not have the guts to steal from the public purse when he has all the chances, did not lust for money and did not make himself ultra rich and richest. instead of working for the private sector where pay is higher, mar choose to work humbly in the public sector year in and year learning and mastering the ropes, with barely a thank you. hindi siya nag-dual citizen when it is fashionable to be so, hindi nag-rebel at hindi nilayasan ang parents.

Lito David of Ang Kapatiran attempted to file a petition before the Senate Electoral Tribunal seeking to unseat Poe. However, the tribunal did not accept the quo warranto case as he lacked the required P50,000 filing fee.

David cited Poe is not qualified to become a senator because she lacks the natural born citizen requirement due to her status as a foundling.

He also alleged that Poe was one year short in the residency requirement for senators.

David also accused Poe of assuming the top post at the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) while she was still a US citizen.

I honestly think that the filling fee is too low. Any Tom Dick and Harry can file a case. I believe the SC should look into this and raise the filling fee to minimum 100,000 or more to discourage such fillings.

Lito David is a commentator for Radio Veritas and a sociologist-environmentalist. He ran for senator in the 2010 elections but was unsuccessful in his bid. The 50-year-old David, also known as Bro. Lito, is again running under the Ang Kapatiran Party or the Alliance for the Common Good.

David was born on January 12, 1962 in Tondo, Manila. He had his early education in Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School and Isabelo delos Reyes Elementary School in Tondo. He had his intermediate years at the San Fernando Central Elementary School while serving as a member of the Knights of the Altar at the Shrine of our Lady of Lourdes. He then landed in a special science program at Jose Abad Santos High School in Binondo while still maintaining his active involvement with the Student Catholic Action.

David finished Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños with a Rotary Club of Raha Sulayman-Manila Scholarship and University Grant in 1984. He earned his master’s degree in Environmental Studies Minor in Rural Sociology from the same school. He was a student activist during Martial Law.

The senatorial candidate first served as a research assistant for the UPLB Program on Environmental Sciences and Management from 1984 to 1986. He later became an instructor at the UPLB Department of Social Sciences and Graduate School.

In 1989, he became Development Management Officer for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Upland Development Program. In 1992, he became chief of the Strategic Planning-Planning and Policy Studies Office of DENR. In the same year, he became chief of the Research and Monitoring Staff of the Liberal Party-PDP Laban for the 1992 elections.

David worked as an executive assistant and committee secretary under the Office of Senator Francisco Tatad from 1993 to 1995. He later became director of the Political Affairs Staff of Tatad.

In 1996, he served as senior executive assistant of the Kaunlaran Group of Companies.

In 1997, he became Consultant on Political Affairs and Head of the Political Operations for Mindanao under the Office of Deputy Speaker Hernando Perez at the House of Representatives.

In 1998, David transferred to the office of Senator Robert Jaworski, where he worked as Head Executive Assistant and Concurrent Director for Political Affairs until 2004. He was also a part-time faculty on Environmental Science in Enderun Colleges in Pasig City from 2007 to 2008.

We shouldn’t even give this guy credence. Unbelievable that he didn’t know there are fees to be paid when filing a case at the SET. He’s either a paid dummy or just a dummy. Wrong tactic to make Grace a martyr; people will always gravitate towards a martyr. My suggestion: Pay him no mind; he’s just muddying the waters.

I dont think lito david is trying to make grace a martyr, he probably just want to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about grace’s citizenship. kinapus lang si lito david ng filing fee. 50K is nearly half a year’s salary for ordinary folks. mahal.

for grace to be martyr, she has to be dead! he, he, he. she can be heroine though, and stand up to critics, show the damn illusive documents and silence critics for good.

I was thinking along the same line, one would have thought he would have dome his hework first and found out what the requirements were. I thought he might be after the publicity for one, maybe doing this to get himself in the news.

I dug up his credentials online and found a profile from ABS CBN news from when he was running for senator, which I posted as reply to Yvonne’s post but it went to moderation.

Anyway, according to said profile, Mr. David worked as an executive assistant and committee secretary under Tatad when the latter was still a senator. I thought that connection was interesting since Tatad has been very vocal, in fact was one of the earliest to question Grace’s citizenship.

Apart from Tatad, Mr. David has also worked for another controversial figure, Arroyo’s Nani Perez. What can I say, this guy must have learned from the best. :)

Lito David of Ang Kapatiran attempted to file a petition before the Senate Electoral Tribunal seeking to unseat Poe. However, the tribunal did not accept the quo warranto case as he lacked the required P50,000 filing fee.

David cited Poe is not qualified to become a senator because she lacks the natural born citizen requirement due to her status as a foundling.

He also alleged that Poe was one year short in the residency requirement for senators.

David also accused Poe of assuming the top post at the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) while she was still a US citizen.

“Political analysts say Mar Roxas is a better version of President Aquino. He is tougher, more patient, and more tolerant. I don’t know Mar personally but when it comes to toughness, patience and tolerance, how can you not trust a guy who’s married to Korina Sanchez for almost six years.”

Lito Manalo •
Los Angeles, California
Binay is delusional. Ex-CJ Corona was found guilty of violating the public trust and yet Binay insists that he was right in asking Pnoy not to support Corona’s impeachment. Binay continues to embarass himself. He can not even distinguish between right and wrong and what to advocate. Insisting that a guilty and convicted public servant should not have been prosecuted just shows how out of touch with reality he really is.
The fact that he is usually on the wrong side of issues like the anti-dynasty bill, prosecuting corrupt public servants speaks a lot about his morality and principles: it seems like he has none of those.

ULV • 16 hours ago
Headline: “Binay: Roxas’ endorsement will highlight our difference”
Your difference is like day and night, mr binay. Roxas is like a bright
sunshine that never fails to show up. Roxas is like the majestic sunset
at Manila Bay, if you will. The grim reaper is the harbinger of doom
and gloom that spends billions of pesos to market himself and hires
‘high priced lawyers’ to sue people that bares record of facts on his
plunderous ways.

“From what I know and have known of Mar Roxas, I believe that he is an excellent candidate. We are looking for someone who is honest, who values the future of the Philippines, and who is willing to do the right thing even when it’s hard. I think Roxas has already proven he can do that. Back when he had his eye set on Malacanang he stepped down to let P-Noy take the lead when he realized that it was what the Filipinos wanted. His sacrifice is now being rewarded and the president is fulfilling his part of the bargain and supporting Mar’s presidential bid.”

Refreshing to read a Philstar opinion writer like Katigbak in contrast with the likes of Alex Magno, Bovit Avila — they who write with the trademark bias: the Administration or the President can do no right, only wrong.

I’ve been living in a rural area for more than half a century and has, in many occasions, able to exchange views with rural folks like farm laborers, barangay officials and the numerous poorest of the poor.

Due to widespread energization, almost all of them have tv sets and can access only two channels – ABS-CBN and GMA, hence their awareness to the latest news and political development.

Being inquisitive as ever, I usually asked them recently about their preference among vp binay and mar roxas – and not to my surprise, a large majority will not support the reported corrupt candidate from Makati who became a billionaire not through hard toil but from illicit sources especially the AMLC report as lengthily discussed in the news program, and the ongoing senate investigations.

With PNoy’s indorsement and the fading stars of grace poe, the rating of the incorruptible Roxas could shoot up in the next survey.

A writer who is in the payroll of Binay will always make him the best person in the world and President Aquino always the dumbest, good-for-nothing fellow! I can not believe that even the daughter of the late Max Soliven looks at the President’s achievements in a very negative light.

Don’t we have a gut feel that Poe-Escudero and their handlers, together with media, are playing a game on us? I realize this is an oxymoron of a question, it being an election period — the greatest extended show in town.

You and @glint7 seems bitten by my TSOFA and hurt you a bit. Did my TSOFA cut your little heads? Next year, I will make my TSOFA not a biter, not bitter either as you assumed, actually only a bit spicy-seems Bicol Express is too spicy for your taste.

On the bright side, We in CPM have something in common.

Everybody wants happiness.

Men want happiness.

Women want hA-PPines.

Gays want hA-PPiness.

Lesbians want to own hA-PPinnes.

*

Since both of you seems to happy, why don’t you compare who has the bigger

The truth is: Corruption is found in every cavity of our political system. It is the heart and soul of patronage politics—the kind that thrives in societies where mass poverty exists. Every politician knows this. The traditional ones work within the system by projecting themselves as the poor’s source of relief, and they have no problem getting themselves and their kin elected. The modern ones seek an end to poverty through well-conceived strategies of economic growth and social development. That they seldom get elected is part of the curse of mass poverty.

If one can only do magic…it will be a cinch…

Perhaps…the lesser or the least evil presidential candidate, with all his/her wizardry at the polls, will be able to perform one when he/she finally gets the throne…

I should have steered away from you.
My friend told me to keep clear of you.
But something drew me near to you.
I never knew where evil grew.

Evil grows in the dark
Where the sun, it never shines.
Evil grows in cracks and holes
And lives in people’s minds.
Evil grew, it’s part of you.
And now it seems to be,
That everytime I look at you
Evil grows in me.

*the more one gets away from evil the more evil grows* Augustine – [ like a shadow ]

The Writing on the Wall : Escudero: A Political Butterfly and Opportunist
Senator Poe should realize now or perhaps had realized already that Senator Chiz is nothing but an opportunist. Clearly, Senator Chiz is using Senator Poe to advance his political agenda by riding the “Poe bandwagon”. Which in essence, as one contributor had pointed out , that Senator Poe’s affinity and/or dependence on him/ Senator Chiz is a sign of weakness. If Senator Poe truly wants to be the President of the Republic one day, she should choose wisely who she associates with. Escudero is more of a baggage than an asset. Escudero will not even make it as VP of the land.
OBVIOUS QUESTIONS:
(a) why did Danding Cojuangco NOT support CHIZ’ bid for presidency the last time?
(b) why the do the Estrada’s have a great dislike of CHIZ?
(c) why did CHIZ support Binay for VP and has remained silent on Binay’s corruption ?

Those in the know, from the Administration, UNA, NP, NPC, and other political parties, is now clear who is the man to beat.

Belmonte was supporting Binay by undermining Roxas by telling Roxas to officially declare Roxas as running for the Presidency and derailing whatever momentum being an effective active DILG Secretary Roxas is. Binay started his campaign the day he was sworn in as VP and Roxas just recently started his unofficial campaign thru his DILG official business.

Belmonte is pushing for Duterte but nudging him to reality of being the VP of Roxas. Why? Belmonte is playing his cards right as an insurance not to annoy their rival faction Balay since the divorce of Aquino with Binay created some orphans out of the Samar Faction. When Binay resigned and officially declared war against Aquino, the first thing Binay did was to challenge the current cabinet members to resign from their posts as well and zeroing on Roxas to resign as well. Why? Binay knows that Roxas now has the momentum and few months more in the office as DILG Secretary brings a lot of advantages from distributing water well pumps, ambulance, opening projects and other businesses, which help Roxas consolidate the ground game to his advantage. Jun-jun’s suspension is a milestone! Pena, now an acting Mayor of Makati, is pain in the ass of the Binays. Pena is now the Ghost (Employees) Buster and an exorcist to cast and bust the demons created by the Binays and only a matter of time that Nancy will mildly transform from her ugliness to feces spewing Linda Blair demon-possessed woman. In fairness to Linda, she is still better-looking when possessed than the present Nancy unpossessed! But Binays know pretty well that Roxas is their oblivion from politics and power, that is why they like Poe to run as insurance and with their accomplice Escudero in action, who says the Binays are not that clever?

As I wrote and shared earlier, whenever Escudero meddles, there will be trouble for that is his role in politics, to sow trouble and use other people to promote his interest. Unfortunately for Poe, whatever remaining dignity and sign of political IQ she has are now fading by showing her dependence and loyalty to Escudero. By declaring that she is so comfortable with Chiz shows her being naïve and easily manipulated. She does not know the damage Escudero heaps upon her. Escudero is a known traitor and despised by Danding Cojuangcos family and the Estrada Family. Politicians are users but Escudero is a user of a different level for at 45 years of age, he seems the master of pitting others to his advantage. Escudero is a crook and Maceda pales in comparison for Escudero has his hands in every money-making scheme in BOC and other lucrative departments. Even Osmena can’t help criticized Escudero for Osmena’s influence on Poe is greatly challenged when Escudero scored an upper hand when Poe declared that he and Poe are partners and will run as Independents! The Binays know that Escudero dropped them and found another politician to latch on but Jojo is pragmatic for Escudero is also equally sowing troubles in LP in Roxas’ expense. Escudero damages everybody from Poe, Binay, Roxas, and ultimately Aquino, and PNoy knows it pretty well when Poe declined his offer of doing the sorties with Roxas without Escudero. When Poe declined PNoy’s request, it is now determined that Poe is an unreliable ally and PNoy could gladly decline the request of supporting Poe in her Citizenship and Residency issues, thus Poe would never be the Admin’s Presidential Candidate and she is lucky landing as VP of Roxas at the current state that Escudero orchestrated to advance his interest, for if Escudero does not land as Poe’s VP, then Escudero’s political future will be in limbo or worst dead!

But Escudero has unwittingly cleared the muddle in Poe’s brand of leadership for now we know she has none! She has shown early that she could be manipulated (which I already shared that whether the Admin, UNA or other parties will surely us her and manipulate her) and Escudero proved that prematurely! For that I thank Escudero, but still I will campaign against him for Escudero is a dangerous politician without a spine and he will sell everybody including his wife, mother, children and our country just to achieve his future Presidential ambition!

Some armchair pundits, who I understand because of their circumstance have limited pertinent information, are questioning the winnability of Roxas. Who could blame them, they process their opinions based on the news and propaganda but if they dig deeper the oligarchs will not let Binay win nor Poe for they upset the balance of power of the oligarchs’ veneer of respectability if Binay or Poe clinches the Presidency. The Oligarchs won’t allow another clone of Erap! The Oligarchs and the Political Power Class know very well that either of the two will bring back the dirty cartel in Malacanang and oust the educated but corrupt Oligarchs as second fiddle. With Binay or Poe, dirty money from drugs, gambling, extortion and other dirty criminal enterprise will mushroom to their full blossom and will bring us to the level of corruption and unlawfulness like the era of Pablo Escobar in Columbia and even the family and children of the Oligarchs will not be spared by the comeback of more ruthless criminals in Malacanang, thus the Oligarchs are now pushing and helping Roxas and just issuing empty promises to fund Poe’s and nada to Binay’s campaign kitty.

We have to admit it, our so called progress and newly acquired power in the Fifth State is not that potent yet. We are in the transition and the Oligarchs are also fighting for their hold of power and not challenged by the hardened criminals and for that our interest aligned. Though it sounds contradictory to Tuwid na Daan, aside from the effective ground game of LP, the most potent of the Admin Weapons is now secured to pave the way to Roxas inevitable Victory – the Magician’s Abracadabra: Hocus PCOS!

Parekoy
07-13-2015

PS

I was not able to write in the past weeks for I was busy networking and crosschecking what is happening in the background. I thank my friends who are willing to share the info no matter their interests or their motives might be, still we are more informed than what we are getting from the established media.

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